A paper by a team of Spanish and US scientists summarises the results of research on the influence of circadian rhythms on melatonin production and cardiovascular health.

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Title:	Melatonin and circadian biology in human cardiovascular disease
Author:	Alberto Dominguez-Rodriguez, Pedro Abreu-Gonzalez, Juan J. Sanchez-Sanchez, Juan C. Kaski and Russel J. Reiter Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain Department of Physiology, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain Instituto Nacional de Toxicologia Ciencias Forenses, Tenerife, Spain Division of Cardiac and Vascular Sciences, Cardiovascular Biology Research Centre, St George’s University of London, London, UK Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, Health Science Center at San Antonio, The University of Texas, San Antonio, TX, USA
Date:	1. July 2010
Source:	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-079X.2010.00773.x
PDF:	Melatonin and circadian biology in human cardiovascular disease.PDF

Brief summary

The article provides an overview of current knowledge regarding the biological role of melatonin and circadian rhythms in relation to heart diseases. Melatonin is described as a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, and epigenetic regulator. Proper light exposure, which maintains the synchronization of biological rhythms, is crucial for cardiovascular health. Disruption of these rhythms and melatonin production, according to the authors, contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Biorhythms affect cardiovascular physiology and the incidence of adverse cardiac events

The review explains that diurnal fluctuations occur at the molecular level, including changes at the gene level in the heart and blood vessels. Biorhythms affect the physiology of the cardiovascular system, including heart function, heart rate and blood pressure, and modulate the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Melatonin affects cholesterol levels and counteracts cardiovascular disease

The results of the study show that melatonin suppresses blood cholesterol by 38% and lowers LDL cholesterol by 42%. Melatonin, a neurohormone with diurnal variability, plays a key role in synchronising the circadian clock and regulating cardiovascular function, including diurnal changes in blood pressure. A reduction in blood pressure is associated with a reduction in the level of stress hormones (catecholamines) in the blood, relaxation of blood vessels and increased production of nitric oxide (NO), which dilates blood vessels.